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Insulinoma in Ferrets

Ferrets are not particularly prone to tumours, either
benign or malignant, but when they do present with cancer, it is very likely to
be an insulinoma, also known as pancreatic islet cell tumours, which describes
them rather more precisely. In a nutshell, insulin, vital for the metabolism of
glucose, is produced in the islets of Langerhans, small clusters of cells in the
pancreas. If these cells divide out of control, they produce far too much
insulin, which places the ferret in a hypoglycaemic state as too much glucose
leaves the bloodstream. It is this hypoglycaemia which causes the symptoms which
the ferret will display. The one good thing to say about insulinoma is that in a
properly looked after ferret, where the owner is aware of its normal behaviour
and monitors it constantly, this disease is not a sudden killer. The onset is
insidious, so may be missed in the very early stages, but it is unlikely that
the first hypoglycaemic episode will be profound enough to be fatal.

What to watch out for

Insulinomas tend to occur in middle aged ferrets, those
between four and six years old. For the ferret, this is unhelpful, as the animal
may be slowing down anyway, due to being a bit older, and so the early signs of
the disease may well be missed. The first positive symptom may well be that the
ferret is unresponsive and may even collapse briefly. This is usually enough to
trigger a visit to the vet, when a fasting blood sugar or glucose tolerance test
will soon give a positive diagnosis. The ferret may also show weakness in the
legs or may have a seizure. Before all this happens, it may drink a lot more, or
drool and paw at its mouth. Many owners mistake this for mouth problems and if
this is the only symptom which is seen, it can delay diagnosis. There may also
be weight loss, or changes in appetite, but these signs do not occur in all
cases.

Treatment of tumours of the pancreatic islet cells

There is no total cure for insulinoma. Surgery can
certainly help alleviate the condition by removing the larger tumours, but it is
impossible to remove them all, as some cells groups which appear to be normal
are in fact already cancerous and will grow after the surgical procedure is
complete. However, removing the majority will turn back the clock on the disease
process and if the ferret is otherwise well, it can gain a reasonable quality of
life for quite a while, even up to a ferret’s normal life span of around eight
years, depending on its age at the onset of the disease. Unfortunately,
insulinoma is not always found as a single condition, but may be linked to
general endocrine problems and the vet often finds while doing the surgery that
there is also a malignancy associated with the adrenal glands. When the surgery
is completed, or if it is not recommended because of the age of the animal, it
is possible to slow the progress of the disease with prednisone or a similar
medication.

Managing your ferret after diagnosis

After diagnosis of insulinoma, and following surgery if
appropriate, your ferret will need quite a lot of care. Much of this will depend
on dietary changes, so if the ferret has been used to eating with companions,
this may have to be looked at as a lifestyle, because it is hard to control the
diet of just one in a group. Food must always be available as the ferret will
naturally balance its glucose balance if given the chance. The food provided
must be a good quality meat based ferret food – the proprietary brands from
reputable sources are high in protein and low in carbohydrates, which is an
ideal ‘diabetic’ diet. To save overloading the animal’s system, sweet treats are
absolutely and strictly forbidden. A rush of glucose will stimulate the tumours
to produce insulin which will inevitably result in a hypoglycaemic episode.

Ferret first aid

Before you take your ferret home after a diagnosis of
insulinoma, you must make sure that your vet gives you adequate training on how
to cope with a hypoglycaemic episode. Just as in the case of a diabetic human in
a hypo, you need to administer glucose – the insulin has driven the glucose from
the bloodstream and the aim is to replace it. This can be done with any glucose
syrup, so keep some handy, but don’t do it without having had the training. The
amount to give is vitally important and you may do more harm than good if you do
it wrong. Also, the ferret may feel cold during a hypoglycaemic episode. This is
normal, so keep it warm and calm. If the ferret lapses further into a coma and
becomes completely unresponsive, take it to the vet as soon as possible,
although if this turns out to be a further progression of the condition, there
may be nothing which can be done.

Time to call time

Insulinomas are not painful, but your ferret will not be
feeling on top form and may sometimes feel very wretched indeed. Balance your
love for the animal against its age, any other underlying conditions and how it
may be feeling. It may be that it is time to let your pet die in peace – a
ferret post surgery can live for between six months to a couple of years, but if
the medication and frequent hypos are stressing you both out, euthanasia may be
the kindest option.

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